


Smoke Signals • EarthMix AU

by mixxdnuts



Category: AU - Fandom, Alternate Universe - Fandom, Angst - Fandom, EarthMix - Fandom, EarthMixx, Fanfiction - Fandom, LGBT - Fandom, LGBTQIA+ - Fandom, Slice of life - Fandom, friendship - Fandom
Genre: Boys' Love, Gay, Homosexuality, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Mature Theme, Mentions of Emotional Abuse, Multi, Pansexual Character, Sexual Scenes, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:48:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29878611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mixxdnuts/pseuds/mixxdnuts
Summary: Earth lives by one rule & one rule alone when it comes to his sexual encounters: "Find a player if you’re looking to play". Never a man nursing a broken heart, never one looking to settle down, and never a man he’d want to have breakfast with the next day.
Relationships: Earth Pirapat Watthanasetsiri/Mix Sahaphap Wongratch, Earth Pirapat/Mix Sahaphap, Khaotung Thanawat Rattanakitpaisan/Podd Suphakorn Sriphothong, Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn/Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat, Off Jumpol/Gun Atthaphan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	1. Ignite

Mix swears he isn't falling for this one.

Actually, Khaotung said not to fall for _anyone_ he meets on the app.

He has a nice built, _a stellar built_ , if Mix is being honest. His tanned chest peeks through his blue button-down shirt & although Mix did not intend to, his eyes eventually scan an area that isn't deemed appropriate by anyone's standards.

He immediately looks away but the man has caught on. And smirks.

Mix wants to play it cool. Unlike dates (if he could call _this_ that) he's been to before, he knows what this man is after, and for the first time ever, he wants it, too.

Well, _sort of_.

He promised his best friend that he's going to try. Just to see what the hype is all about. Heck, he just wants to go out and not wallow for another night. Try his hand at something new this time. Mix recalls Khaotung saying that with his social skills, if he waits for an 'organic' dating opportunity to present itself, then he'd end up in a massive dry spell his whole life.

He convinces himself that there is nothing wrong with wanting to have a little bit of fun every once in a while and casual sex offers a kind of novelty that Mix, against his better judgment, is kind of eager to experience.

\- - -

Earth knew what he was looking for. But he wasn't sure if it's the man in front of him.

He lives by one rule and one rule alone when it comes to dating:

_'Find a player if you're looking to play'_

Easy. No strings attached. No awkward conversations. No pillow talk. No sappy breakfasts the next day. Even his _Hooked Up_ profile states this clearly: _Here for a good fuck and nothing else_.

And he's usually gone first thing in the morning after his escapades. Sometimes, when it's so bad, he just ups and leaves immediately after he showers or soon after the other falls asleep.

Whenever he's free, Earth prowls most nights, looking to satisfy a primal need. Shrouded by the possibilities presented by the night and looking for men willing to play with him. With the other's consent, of course. He may be into this whole serial hook-up thing, but he isn't a douchebag. Forcing himself on another man takes the fun out of sexual encounters. And Earth loves sex too much to be disillusioned by guilt.

He could sense the hesitation on the other man. Which is sad, considering Earth's already taken a liking to his deep-set eyes, thick eyebrows, and handsome face. A face he's very much keen on seeing contort in both pain and pleasure—hopefully within the next hour.

Earth moves forward and levels his head with the man, studying him closely. He leans in so the other hears him over the music, "I don't want to speak on your behalf since, well, we just met," Earth starts, "but I'm pretty sure you don't want this."

\- - -

Mix looks at him, stunned. He knew this would happen. He wonders how he comes off to this man. Scared? Nervous? God, _desperate_? He might as well have carried a sign that says "hook-up culture neophyte". They hadn't ordered anything yet and he wasn't exactly sure if food is on the menu for tonight. _'There's still time to back out,'_ Mix thought to himself.

But he didn't go through all the trouble of setting up an account at _Hooked Up_ , sat in traffic for almost an hour, or dress up— _too well_ , if you'd ask him—to back out now.

_Absolutely fucking not._

And besides, his father would kill him if he discovers that this is the 'prior engagement' that made Mix cancel on family dinner. His other father would, well, probably laugh while teasing and grilling him for details. Gun and Off complement each other like that. Still, Mix is not sure whose reaction he's dreading more.

His mind is going into overdrive and he feels his hands getting clammy, shaking a bit, like it always does when he's flushed. And then, a sudden wave of nausea hits him. _Is it this place? The music's too loud and the bodies bumping on the dance floor are certainly not helping. And he's closer now. Too close._ But amidst his physical response to this encounter, what the man said has ignited his defensive side.

And damn if he's going to let a stranger corner him like that.

He collects his thoughts and pinches his leg to try to snap back to reality before saying, "I'm Mix,"

In his mind, he's downing an imaginary drink, an elixir of sorts, and slowly but clearly pushes the next words out of his mouth:

"You don't know me but I'm pretty sure you don't need to know me to fuck me good. Or do you?"

\- - -

So he's feisty.

Earth's been on this game for years. Jumping from one partner to another, with the highs easily dulled after a few routine fucks. Naked bodies merging into a mush of faceless, moaning lulls. Earth's no longer easily impressed with men he meets from the app, but he admits that this encounter's starting a little different from the others.

And he's liking it.

Suddenly, there is a shift in the air and he's angling his vision to accommodate this man whose character has surprisingly warped in the few minutes that they stood there, sizing up each other.

He's suddenly seeing potential. Liking the sharpness of the other man's jaw and the way he challenged Earth like that. A little bit of challenge wouldn't hurt, would it? And he sure is up for one.

"Hi, Mix. I'm Earth," he stops for a second, offering Mix a hand—their contract for tonight—and continues:

"I hope you're ready to play."


	2. Smolder

Earth sees the bathroom light on. It's past four in the morning and in his unwritten book for hook-ups, it’s already past the perfect time to get up and get packing.

So, why isn't he moving?

He figures it’s exhaustion. Which is normal, especially since last night's quite... _something else_. He couldn’t help the sly smile that has formed on his lips as he recounts how hungry they both were for each other.

All that time, Mix kept his eyes glued to Earth’s, like he was studying Earth’s every move. As if afraid that once he closes them, he'd miss the experience altogether. Mix tried his hardest to keep his eyes open—only failing when he finally came. Earth suddenly feels hot thinking about those eyes; how they looked at and roamed Earth’s body like a shrine he wanted to imprint in his memory somehow. How Mix was so ready, so eager to take it all in.

Take _all_ of Earth in.

_Stop fucking reminiscing and get moving, Earth._

Tired and satisfied, Earth fell asleep almost immediately, rolling his body away from Mix who, breathless and flushed, kept his eyes to the ceiling, taming his thoughts and racing heart.

_That must be it. I'm just fucking beat._

Earth closes his eyes for a second, massages his temples, and contemplates—for the third time—leaving as soon as he clears his head.

But then he suddenly wonders what Mix would do when he realizes he's gone.

From how uneasy he looked last night and the way his hands shook, Earth knew it was Mix's first time hooking up with someone from the app. Possibly the first time he'd welcomed the prospect of casual sex _ever_. His actions in bed, however, proved that he's not a virgin.

When Earth studied Mix closely at the bar last night, the other's hands were shaking badly and he looked as if he was ready to pass out. It was clear that Mix was having an internal battle and that Earth was caught in the crossfire. One part of him was so ready to bolt while the other—the part that eventually won, much to Earth's delight—fought to stay.

Earth starts dressing up quietly, careful to shrink his movements so as not to disturb the early morning peace that has settled nicely into the hotel room. He hesitates for a bit near the bathroom, wanting to check up on Mix who, Earth realizes, hasn't made any noise since he's woken up.

"Leaving so soon, Cinderella?"

Earth was startled for a second before drawing his eyes to where the voice emanated from. _So Mix was on the balcony all this time, smoking._ Earth wonders if Mix saw him put on clothes—if he knows that he's trying to bolt. He hesitates for a second, looking like a killer about to flee a murder scene, before he remembers that he's done this countless times before.

So why is he hesitating now?

"I don't mind. You do you," Mix looks away from Earth and takes a long drag off his cigarette. He looks over the balcony's railing and into the light traffic below. The air is heavy with the promise of another day. In the distance, Mix could see headlights pierce the dense morning haze and he likes how, with a few minor differences, this mirrors the view from an old apartment.

It almost felt as if he's home.

He shakes his head and abandons the thought before it dives into a territory he doesn’t want to relive just yet. _No need to be sentimental this early._

Earth hangs back for a moment before deciding to sit next to Mix. He wonders how long the other has been there, sitting on the chilly balcony, visibly shaking in his thin long sleeve shirt.

_Hell, it's already morning. He already caught me. Might as well extend this... game a little longer._ Earth motions to Mix and asks for a cigarette, but the other offers him the one he's smoking instead.

"Last one. Sorry."

Earth takes the cigarette and inhales. He's an occasional smoker but believes casual sex to be his biggest vice, so the first drag brought a sudden haze that he isn't ready for. He waits for the rush of calm that he knows follows soon after before saying, "I didn't take you for the smoking type."

"I have an attachment with smoking," Mix starts, "It's a respite." He stretches his arms and rubs his hands together to quell the cold that has started creeping to his body.

"So I wasn't the only one trying to escape this early."

Mix looks at the other man, watching him take another long drag from their shared stick. "Yes, I guess you could say that. We caught each other trying to escape."

Stripped of pretenses, of the fake bravado which he reserved for last night, Mix realizes that he likes the company. Earth's company. A man who was basically a stranger a few hours ago—a man who still is.

Before doing this, he asked Khaotung what 'norms' to follow for "the morning after" and his best friend laughed before telling him that some men leave almost immediately. That if he’s lucky, he may not even have to worry about "after-sex niceties".

And that would've been awesome.

Hell, Mix would've wanted that. It’s why he decided to isolate himself and spent all those hours on the balcony. He figured it'll be less awkward if he doesn't see Earth leave, especially since sleep never came even though he was exhausted.

So when he saw Earth moving so quietly and stealthily, a calculated move that was a far cry from the proud and sure alpha he's gone to bed with last night, Mix couldn't help himself from calling out. It’s like catching Cinderella leaving the ball.

But this time, Cinderella stayed.

"It's what's— I mean, I've— I have always... done this. Or the other man does. It's routine. It's not yo—"

"I feel like you've never had to explain yourself to others before." Mix sees Earth struggling with words and thought it surprisingly adorable. ‘ _Adorable’, the last thing you’d probably use to describe a chiseled, dark-skinned man like him._ “You don't have to start now."

Earth chuckles; _caught once again_. He’s right, Earth never had to explain himself to anyone before. He didn’t have the urge, the interest nor the energy to do so. And oddly enough, Mix didn't even ask. Neither did it look like he wanted any explanations. But for some reason, Earth felt compelled to come clean.

Mix is pretty good at reading people and by the way Earth is massaging his neck and grinning, he knows he's right.

“I mean, I figured as much. _'Here for a good fuck and nothing else'_. Your brevity is amusing, you know?" Mix lets out a silent laugh and looks furtively at Earth, who by then was already looking at him. Smiling.

"Ah, yes. That's exactly the vibe I was going for in a hook-up app. _Amusing_.” Earth emphasizes the last word with meek sarcasm, which Mix reciprocated with a smile.

Before they know it, it’s almost five in the morning and everything is starting to stir. The sun is starting to peek through the mist and with it came a jumble of noise from a world waking from its slumber.

Mix puts out the cigarette they shared and took his phone out. He needed something to delay the inevitable day from coming, something to capture this empty—albeit safe—space they're sharing at this moment.

Mix plays [one of his favorite songs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpPLr0W_fEk), chosen from a playlist he aptly titled _'tracks for the empty'_. Surprisingly, Earth starts humming along.

"I didn't know anybody else who knew this song." Earth was surprised to hear the song as well. It's true that not many people knew about it, because although sang by a popular band, the track is almost always obscured by their more popular collections.

"They play this a lot at the bar I work at when there aren't many people. Especially on lazy afternoons."

Mix imagines Earth at a bar. He's not sure what the other does exactly (and there’s no way he's going to ask, lest he breaks one of the "unspoken rules of casual sex”). Still, he envisions him behind the counter, tending to patrons, concocting drinks and interacting with people, flashing them the easy smile he's showing Mix right now.

"I see."

Soon after the second verse, Mix joins in, singing the lyrics this time while Earth continued to hum along. Earth never did bother to memorize the lyrics, but the melody was infectiously calming for him to forget. This time, he listens intently and feels a strange warmth overcome his senses.

_And you better bring a change of clothes_

_So we can sail our laughing pianos_

_Along a beam of light_

_But I'm quite alright hiding tonight_

Earth and Mix were caught in a trance. Wordlessly, they've agreed not to disturb the peace they're both basking in. They stayed like that until the song ended, until the world around them became too loud and too boisterous to ignore and delay any longer.

Earth and Mix sat not touching, not talking, and not looking at each other.

But not leaving either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola!
> 
> I'm still trying to hone my skills in writing intimate scenes that wouldn't seem like mere homoerotic fetishization, huhu. I promise to do better 🤧
> 
> To anyone interested, the song they're listening to is "Hiding tonight" by Alex Turner, my personal "I-need-to-escape-this-moment" song.
> 
> Hope to see you again in the next chapter where I'm finally introducing Mix's family. Prepare to see the rest of the Phunsawat-Adulkittiporn clan 😉
> 
> Adios! 🌍 🪐

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, there!
> 
> If you haven't disengaged already, then I just want to give you a massive thanks for reading the first chapter of "Smoke Signals". I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I'm pretty bent on just spewing the story out as much as I can.
> 
> Here's hoping I give justice to our stories.
> 
> P.S. I'd be including song recommendations in each chapter, just to help set the mood. For this, give FINNEAS's "Let's Fall In Love For The Night" a listen.
> 
> Hope to see you in the next chapter! 🌍 🪐


End file.
